朝南

By W. L. Phelps 

【提示：我们大多数人都喜欢朝南的房子，因为，可以有更多的阳光。然而，你是否想过，人与房，竟然也有其相似之处。人“朝北”，则阴郁冷漠、无情刻薄；人“朝南”，则积极乐观、热心助人。“朝南”的人可亲、可敬、可靠、可爱。面朝南，让我们都来做一个播散阳光的人吧！】 

An old friend used to say to me, “When you are thinking of taking a new house, go and see it on a dismal day. If you like it then, you need not doubt about liking it in fine weather.” We all enjoy the sun. The sun is the source of heat and life to the earth. Yet people are still to be found who deliberately shut out the sun from their rooms, and are unmindful of the Italian saying that where the sun does not go the doctor does. A succession of dull days damps down the spirits. In this country, especially, we know the value of “facing south”.

译文：曾经，有位老友对我说：“若想买新房，就应选择阴天去看房。如果阴天的时候都喜欢，天晴时必定合你心意。”我们都爱享受阳光。太阳是地球热量和生命的源泉。然而，仍然能发现一些人故意将阳光拒之门外，对意大利“太阳不到，医生到”的谚语不屑一顾。连续数日的阴天会让人情绪低落。尤其在我们国家，大家更懂得“朝南”的价值。

点评：Italian saying that where the sun does not go the doctor does.一句非常精彩，其中的where the sun does not go the doctor does是一句意大利的俗话，因此翻译时，便应该考虑措辞之简洁上口。原译是“太阳走，医生至”，不太上口，且无韵感。现改译：太阳不到，医生到。

Are we not like houses? We have eyes instead of windows, but we face south, north, east, or west. Who does not know the men and women facing north? Hard and cold, never letting a ray of sunshine into their souls, they stand pitilessly away from all the cheers and warms of our poor humanity. They are the people who pour cold water on all our enthusiasms, have no faith in human nature, no sympathy with human suffering; who leave the lame dog at the stile. We know the futility of approaching them in the hour of distress of trouble.

译文：我们不就像房子一样吗？我们的眼睛就像房子的窗户，只是我们可以朝南、朝北、朝东、或者朝西。谁又不认识几个朝北的男男女女呢？他们苛刻、冷漠，从不让一缕阳光射进他们的心房。面对我们谦卑人性中的快乐和温暖，他们冷漠地避开；面对我们的一腔热情，他们只知大泼冷水、他们不相信人性、不同情人间疾苦，甚至把瘸腿的狗遗弃在台阶旁。我们知道，在身陷困境之时求助于他们，必定徒劳而返。

点评：此段始让我们感到作者的比喻之妙。有两点可以商榷，一是，原句的but we face south, north, east, or west之原译是“只是我们朝向东西南北”，此译给读者以“气短”的感觉，译笔是否能更加细腻一些？译文的韵律是否可以更强一些？如现译：只是我们可以朝南、朝北、朝东、或者朝西。二是，原句中的定语从句who leave the lame dog at the stile.原译将它译成“对别人的困难不闻不问”，译文是否能够保留原句的形象呢？如译：甚至把瘸腿的狗遗弃在台阶旁。（注：这个定语从句具有递进的状语从句功能。）

Most of us, it is to be feared, face either east or west. Part of us is in the sun, part in the shadow. We are easily depressed or exalted. We talk of our dual personality, and do nothing to cultivate the better part. But there are a few people who, like an attractive house, face south. One never goes to them in vain. They look on the sunny side of things; they see obstacles only to surmount them. Coming into their presence is like coming into a sunny room. The dull care or the throbbing trouble disappears. “God's in His heaven, all's right with the world” is their motto.

译文：恐怕，我们中的大多数人不是朝东，就是朝西。有些人在阳光底下，有些人却在阴影之中。我们的情绪易起易落。我们谈论自己的双重性格，却从未想过要扬长避短。但也有一小部分人，他们像让人欢喜的房子一样，面朝南方。向这些人求助，决不会空手而归。他们总能看到事物光明的一面；他们也看见了面前的障碍，但只是考虑如何去战胜障碍。跟这些人相处，就像走进一间阳光明媚的屋子。你的隐忧和揪心的烦恼都会烟消云散。“上帝就在天堂，世界一切美好”是他们的人生格言。

点评：原句文字表达极有分寸感，文采就更加斐然。遗憾的是，我们读到的原译就比较粗糙。如：The dull care or the throbbing trouble disappears被译成：你的忧虑和麻烦都会烟消云散。dull care不仅仅是“忧虑”；throbbing trouble也远非“麻烦”。